Middle School Mathematics Teachers’ Graph Teaching: From a Graph Literacy Perspective

Abstract

Graph literacy is becoming increasingly important as data are frequently presented in graphical form. However, there is limited research on the types of graph problems teachers use, particularly in Turkish classrooms. This study aimed to evaluate the types of graph-related problems employed by six Grade 7 teachers in two schools in Turkiye. Data were collected through classroom observations and categorized into five dimensions of graph literacy: reading, interpreting, drawing, comparing, and evaluating graphs. The problems included in the lessons primarily focused on graph interpretation, such as establishing relationships between percentages, angle measures (in degree), and numerical values in pie charts, and performing graph-based calculations. Problems involving the comparison and evaluation of graphs were used very sparingly. It is recommended that teachers reorganize their classroom activities to include a broader range of graph literacy dimensions.